March 17, 2021

Duckworth Reaction to Atlanta Shooting Spree

 

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] — U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released the following statement after multiple shootings in Atlanta left at least eight people dead, including six Asian women.

“My heart is with the families who lost loved ones last night in Atlanta. While there's still so much we don't know about these tragic shootings, we do know that our Asian American community is understandably—and justifiably—outraged after enduring a year of heinous hate crimes and increased discrimination. As we learn more about the motives behind these awful crimes, we must fully investigate whether hate or racism played a role and bring those accountable to justice.

“Blaming the AAPI community for a public health crisis is racist and wrong. Continuing to treat Asian Americans—many of whom are on frontlines helping this country respond to the deadly pandemic—like ‘others’ only further divides our country and leads to violence against innocent people. It must stop. It is the responsibility of all Americans, including those of us in leadership positions, to help put an end to the disease of hatred that’s spreading through our country right now. And it is long past time for Congress to take meaningful steps to prevent gun violence and ensure firearms don’t fall into the hands of dangerous people.” 

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